"So, an altar on a bridge over a chasm in a temple of Xipe Totec. No way this could take a turn for the worse. Still, better than just jumping off the bridge. Let's take a closer look."

Tobias then casts Light on another bolt and reloads it.

"No kidding. Ambush spot, anyone?" San picks up a rock, casts light on it, and then uses [i]mage hand[.i] to float it towards the platform in the middle of the chasm.

"Maybe this will help us get a better look, too. Once we do that, who wants to be the guinea ... er, volunteer, to follow it out there? I'll come with; not sure anyone should go at it alone, but probably shouldn't risk the whole group, either."

"Maybe this will help us get a better look, too. Once we do that, who wants to be the guinea ... er, volunteer, to follow it out there? I'll come with; not sure anyone should go at it alone, but probably shouldn't risk the whole group, either."

Ten stops peering over the edge and looks up at the others, seeing no volunteers he steps forward, "come on San, I am growing old while we wait for some one to grow a pair!" he chuckles, "lets get going."

Egan speaks up. "Wait!" I am the lighter of us and probably the most observant". "Why don't we tie a rope to me, and send me across, bow at ready". "With you strong guys holding the other end, even if worst case I fell your could drag me back up". "I am probably the best candidate".

He then looks at Vilya with a rueful smile. "So much for leading the way when we are not in the wilds huh"? "Beware, your true nature is showing".

Egan speaks up. "Wait!" I am the lighter of us and probably the most observant". "Why don't we tie a rope to me, and send me across, bow at ready". "With you strong guys holding the other end, even if worst case I fell your could drag me back up". "I am probably the best candidate".

He then looks at Vilya with a rueful smile. "So much for leading the way when we are not in the wilds huh"? "Beware, your true nature is showing".

San's lighted pebble floats over to the center area. There seems to be two piles of dark cobwebbed material there. Egan gets tied to a rope Who's got it on their goodie sheet? and heads out to the center, trailing the hemp? Silk? rope behind him.

San brings the pebble back, and drops it in Egan's hand. "Here, hold this a sec. Before you go across, I've got an idea." San opens one of his scroll tubes, and removes one of the parchments from within. He casts detect undead and begins scanning the entire area, including the center platform and as far down the chasm as he can reach with the spell (range 60')

San brings the pebble back, and drops it in Egan's hand. "Here, hold this a sec. Before you go across, I've got an idea." San opens one of his scroll tubes, and removes one of the parchments from within. He casts detect undead and begins scanning the entire area, including the center platform and as far down the chasm as he can reach with the spell (range 60')

Egan inches out on the narrow bridge. It gives him a bit of vertigo, but the stone seems solid. He can see worn Xoltec-style imagery on the edges of the narrow length. The sound of distant water gurgles far below.

He approaches the center area. A wider spot in the bridge, with a heaped pile of ... something on either side. As he approaches warily, he sees they are some sort of rotted wooden structures, covered in years of cobwebs. The central dias is supported by a massive stalagmite that's positioned directly below it, angling downwards into the darkness. The shaft is also carved in intricate designs, also swathed in years of cobwebs and mold.

Egan's sharp senses pick up that the webbing on the two mounds is actually moving a bit. It looks as if both masses are covered in palm-sized spiders. They look like albino cave spiders. Egan knows from hard experience that many of this pallid genus are poisonous, so it is best to tread warily.

When he pauses to look at the mounds (which he guesses were ballistae at some point before they rotted) he also hears a clicking scuttling type of sound. He's not sure where in this gigantic echo chamber the noise is coming from...

Egan looks up just as the bolt from Tobias and San's pebble both head upwards.

Far above, several dark masses are moving on the ceiling. Egan's keen senses recognize several very large spiders scuttling among massive webs strung among the stalagtites. These pallid horrors avoid the lights, keeping to the shadows.

Egan hears a noise and whips around, looking towards the center platform. Several pale spider legs appear from the underside, pulling a bloaded white spider the size of a small pony onto the bridge.

Ten Foot looks up from his daydream only to find it has turned into a nightmare, his eyes bulge in their socket and his fight or flight mechanism kicks in, every muscle in his body tensing, ready to run shrieking like a cheer leader the second he can act.

If I am not webbed in place by the time it is my go, I am running, screaming and flailing my arms about as I go. Knocking people out the way or off the edge if they try to stop me.

San and Tobias unleash their arcane bolts at the pale arachnid. It squeals like a branded Lumper when it is hit. It drops off the side of the bridge. Another spider clambers onto the center platform as the first disappears from sight.

Gotta tell you I don't like the group initiative thing. It's just unrealistic that everyone reacts at the same pace everytime. I understand it's to speed things up but maybe either you could roll, or we could provide you 10 rolls or so at a time and you just use them as needed. Certainly doesn't bother my enjoyment of the game, but it is something that bugs me ;).

Gotta tell you I don't like the group initiative thing. It's just unrealistic that everyone reacts at the same pace everytime. I understand it's to speed things up but maybe either you could roll, or we could provide you 10 rolls or so at a time and you just use them as needed. Certainly doesn't bother my enjoyment of the game, but it is something that bugs me ;).

Tell you what Scranford/Egan, I'll try the next battle with individual inits, but I'm telling you it will slow down play.

Gotta tell you I don't like the group initiative thing. It's just unrealistic that everyone reacts at the same pace everytime. I understand it's to speed things up but maybe either you could roll, or we could provide you 10 rolls or so at a time and you just use them as needed. Certainly doesn't bother my enjoyment of the game, but it is something that bugs me ;).

Tell you what Scranford/Egan, I'll try the next battle with individual inits, but I'm telling you it will slow down play.

Maybe just have everybody give you 10 rolls in advance or roll yourself. I can see how waiting for everybody to roll would slow things down, but there are other options

It is a STANDARD action to use escape artist or a Strength burst check to escape a giant spiders webbing, here are the rules:

Web (Ex) Creatures with the web ability can use webs to support themselves and up to one additional creature of the same size. In addition, such creatures can throw a web up to eight times per day. This is similar to an attack with a net but has a maximum range of 50 feet, with a range increment of 10 feet, and is effective against targets up to one size category larger than the web spinner. An entangled creature can escape with a successful Escape Artist check or burst the web with a Strength check. Both are standard actions with a DC equal to 10 + 1/2 creature's HD + creature's Con modifier. Attempts to burst a web by those caught in it suffer a –4 penalty.

Web spinners can create sheets of sticky webbing up to three times their size. They usually position these sheets to snare flying creatures but can also try to trap prey on the ground. Approaching creatures must succeed on a DC 20 Perception check to notice a web; otherwise they stumble into it and become trapped as though by a successful web attack. Attempts to escape or burst the webbing gain a +5 bonus if the trapped creature has something to walk on or grab while pulling free. Each 5-foot-square section of web has a number of hit points equal to the Hit Dice of the creature that created it and DR 5/—.

A creature can move across its own web at its climb speed and can pinpoint the location of any creature touching its web.

It is a STANDARD action to use escape artist or a Strength burst check to escape a giant spiders webbing, here are the rules:

Web (Ex) Creatures with the web ability can use webs to support themselves and up to one additional creature of the same size. In addition, such creatures can throw a web up to eight times per day. This is similar to an attack with a net but has a maximum range of 50 feet, with a range increment of 10 feet, and is effective against targets up to one size category larger than the web spinner. An entangled creature can escape with a successful Escape Artist check or burst the web with a Strength check. Both are standard actions with a DC equal to 10 + 1/2 creature's HD + creature's Con modifier. Attempts to burst a web by those caught in it suffer a –4 penalty.

Web spinners can create sheets of sticky webbing up to three times their size. They usually position these sheets to snare flying creatures but can also try to trap prey on the ground. Approaching creatures must succeed on a DC 20 Perception check to notice a web; otherwise they stumble into it and become trapped as though by a successful web attack. Attempts to escape or burst the webbing gain a +5 bonus if the trapped creature has something to walk on or grab while pulling free. Each 5-foot-square section of web has a number of hit points equal to the Hit Dice of the creature that created it and DR 5/—.

A creature can move across its own web at its climb speed and can pinpoint the location of any creature touching its web.

Format: web (+8 ranged, DC 16, 5 hp); Location: Special Attacks.

Cool Ten. Thanks for the clarification. I was basing it off escaping from entanglement in the skill description. Either way unfortunately what I rolled has me firmly tangled up. I should have followed your lead(Actually thought I did by retreating after firing, but I guess he got me on the way out. I should have worded it more carefully ;-))

Cool Ten. Thanks for the clarification. I was basing it off escaping from entanglement in the skill description. Either way unfortunately what I rolled has me firmly tangled up. I should have followed your lead(Actually thought I did by retreating...

The problem with retreating is that you are on a narrow bridge with Ten and San at the forefront behind you. It would take some tricky finagling to get past them without everyone getting off the bridge.

San looks at Ten, and says, "Pull it together, big guy! We need you here!" He first reaches into his pouch and activates his pearl of power to recall his magic missile spell. San then moves forward next to Egan, hoping to draw the spider's attention away from his currently helpless companion.